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Introduction to Linux - A Hands on Guide

This guide was created as an overview of the Linux Operating System, geared toward new users as an exploration tour and getting started guide, with exercises at the end of each chapter.
For more advanced trainees it can be a desktop reference, and a collection of the base knowledge needed to proceed with system and network administration. This book contains many real life examples derived from the author's experience as a Linux system and network administrator, trainer and consultant. They hope these examples will help you to get a better understanding of the Linux system and that you feel encouraged to try out things on your own.

Mac OS X is really a superior operating system. It's easy to use and has a good UNIX base under the hood. Problems with Mac OS X is that it is quite expensive, and limited to Apple computers. I have also heard there isn't much freeware for Mac OS X; where GNU/Linux and Windows have tons of free stuff, there is much less for Mac OS X, you have to buy lots of programs.

MS-Windows might be a better choice because it is compatible, cheaper to buy, and you already know how to use it.

Either way, it's a personal decision, really. I'm a very frugal person, I wouldn't want to buy a Mac OS X laptop. You however may want a virus free system that is also easy to use, and Mac OS X might be for you.

you really can't go wrong with Mac. programs are not so plenty as for windows, but generally better quality. addition of full-featured unix cli is invaluable, it has spared me tons of time. and it really just works.

A lot of people are still using Windows98/ME, even though MS has officially said it's dead software. Therefore buying an XP laptop isn't buying dead software, it's going to be all right for years. Vista has still so much trouble, and a lot of software won't run all right on it, that XP stands strong.

When you buy a Mac, you pay for the same thing iPod users or Nike-wearing people pay for: the name. Unless you have extra money rolling free down your pockets, or just want to belong to the "better folks" group, there is only one sane reason to buy a Mac: you're doing something related to audio, video or graphics. Shortly said, Windows tools for those things are both expensive and not good, Mac software is expensive but better. Linux software isn't generally expensive, but not as good as Mac software either - for the obvious reason that Mac software developers are paid developers, Linux developers are not, and thus they don't have all the resources than others do. It just takes more time.

You can install Linux side-by-side no matter which one (Windows/Mac) you buy, but I suggest getting a laptop with XP if you feel you don't want to waste money for the name only. It's easy to deal with, enough software runs on it, and it's still fairly new (newer than DOS is enough). At any given time you can replace it with Linux, or just have Linux at it's side, or if you don't have time for it, not install Linux and still feel good. Another thing is that because it's a regular pc you'll get the spare parts for it cheaper than if you try to get official Apple parts.

There's also more software available for XP than Mac, or at least it's easier to find, and probably your school (unless it's a freak amongh "normal" schools of today) will use more Windows machines than anything else, and thus you'll get it easier done if you buy a Windows anyway. Schools just tend to use one OS mainly (and maybe a few droplets of some other systems) and often it just happens to be Windows (except for servers).

So: cheapest and easiest choice, XP. Freedom to learn and use Linux at any given time. If you feel the other people's sayings about better people hurt you, buying a Mac isn't going to help: being a "better" person is not having a Mac, it's a lifestyle and a state of mind, always telling others they're minor. Getting over it, making it better and not laughing back at them is something that really takes a better person.

It sounds like you've already made up your mind that you want a Mac and are just looking for someone to validate your decision. A Mac or a PC will most likely do the job for you although you may run into some software availability problems with the Mac, especially if one of your courses requires some specific piece of software, otherwise you can get your work done with either one.

When you buy a Mac, you pay for the same thing iPod users or Nike-wearing people pay for: the name. Unless you have extra money rolling free down your pockets, or just want to belong to the "better folks" group, there is only one sane reason to buy a Mac: you're doing something related to audio, video or graphics. Shortly said, Windows tools for those things are both expensive and not good, Mac software is expensive but better. Linux software isn't generally expensive, but not as good as Mac software either - for the obvious reason that Mac software developers are paid developers, Linux developers are not, and thus they don't have all the resources than others do. It just takes more time.

What could I say? I'm veery tempted to use a popular two-word expression, consisting of vulgar expression of female reproduction organ and followed by pronomine of 2nd person....

EDIT: you got everything wrong there... everything (except that it indeed is superior platform for audio+video+graphics). gott aplay tennis in 12min so no time to rant more now.

"When you buy a Mac, you pay for the same thing iPod users or Nike-wearing people pay for: the name."
*shivers* that was just... damn... so... pathethic, ignorant and straightforwardly stupid commentary. On the other hand, I've yet to meet a single person doing anything productive with your precious, über-cuztomz l33t Slackware.
When using slackware, you take it for the name: same as shopping at freshfields or driving prius to be smug enough and feel like a real anti-corporation rebel. If we really start stereotyping so you are bound to lose.

mmm... Audacity, Miro, irssi, vim, ssh, Frozen Bubble and Gimp really work well on Mac... just like openoffice! hey kids, ever heard of Xcode or Logic?! Now those frankly dont work on Slackware. well nothing works on slackware, at least not out of box.

Mac gets you best of both worlds and then some. I do my coding excercises on Mac, using terminal, using vim, while running irssi on background. BUT I also craft far superior presentations easily with Keynote than Impress on OO could ever make not to even mention Logic Express and what that can do in comparison to any OOS crapware. Take that. And even better I don't have to configure anything if I don't want to. Unlike on your toysystem which is only usable for coding.

If you are going to college, the most sensible thing to do is find out what OS the college wants you to use, then get that. Reason is compatibility and support from their tech support.

My daughter is starting at UNC Chapel Hill in a few weeks, and they're providing her with a laptop (Thinkpad) with WinXP on it. They have stated that their IT will "upgrade" to Vista late in the year; she has said she will politely decline the upgrade.

Heres something a lot of us don't seem to think about. What sort of stuff does the Computer Science department at your college have? Most big colleges have lots of Unix, photography and graphics departments will have Mac's, and a lot of Physics is now done with Unix servers and Linux desktops.

A couple of other points. Firstly, the main reason Mac's are more expensive, is that they choose the hardware. My experience is that a Mac will be more reliable with none of the stupid driver problems you get with Windows. Even though the numbers may be less, the spec will be as good, and the OS and application set is more reliable and in most cases a lot better.

Secondly I built a Dell Inspiron 1300 with Suse 10.1 & WiFi for my Mum who is in here 80's. She may only use it for e-mail and looking at photo's from here kids, but it has given me no hassle for nearly a year. I just did an upgrade to 10.2 with no problems.

My experience with BBC Micro's, DOS from 2 to 7, Windows from 3 to XP, Mac's from System 7 to 9 and now OS X, and various flavours of Linux including Slackware, Ubuntu/Kubuntu, Mandriva, Fedora, PClinuxOS 2007, & Suse, is that all OS will give trouble, and they are all harder to fix than you have time for at first.

The biggest problem is not having your data backed up, and that can happen with any OS. If the hardware breaks, it doesn't matter what your OS is, if the data isn't backed-up your screwed!

Mac OS X is really a superior operating system. It's easy to use and has a good UNIX base under the hood. Problems with Mac OS X is that it is quite expensive, and limited to Apple computers. I have also heard there isn't much freeware for Mac OS X; where GNU/Linux and Windows have tons of free stuff, there is much less for Mac OS X, you have to buy lots of programs.

Bah, it's not easy to use. It might be non-evil, but it's not "easy to use". I mean, to Pat V. Slackware is friendly to use, but not to me!

I like to have a terminal, I like to be able to cut crap, I like to be able to have all my menus stuck to their windows, I don't like the dock, and I like to move my stuff around on a daily basis.

However, one thing I really like from OSX (And I wonder if it's in Darwin... Any idea Grife?): Core Image. Really nifty. I think XGL/AIGLX can do something like it, but Core Image is a bit more stable.

iLife is nice, but it's not bundled with Macs. At least I don't think so. Would be nice on Apple's part. The retail/upgrade boxes can leave out iLife, just bundle a copy iLife (Preinstalled but leave us the CDs!) with new macs. That way, iLife is to OSX what Office is to Windows, but this time it's "free" with a new machine. But leave the option to use like a newer iLife on an older mac, and vice versa.

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MS-Windows might be a better choice because it is compatible, cheaper to buy, and you already know how to use it.

But OP: Use whatever you think you can afford. That's priority #1. It doesn't matter what it looks like, if it risks driving you bankrupt don't buy it!

I'd look at the Dell Ubuntu laptops. They look damn nice. Maybe just screen resolution would be off, but it's a known "bug" in Ubuntu. (Maybe it just tries to keep to a safe resolution? I know a lot of PCs can't push the monitor's max resolution) Everyone I've heard of having problems with Dell's Ubuntu laptops was related to resolutions, and was enough easily solved.